Below, I've cut-and-pasted a straw-man charter along the lines that
have been previously discussed. It's on a fairly short time-scale, to
focus efforts on interop and editorial work, rather than spinning off
into large-scale revisions or adding new features.
The tentative path forward is to discuss this informally in Prague,
have a formal BoF in Chicago, and start thereafter.
Comments would be very much appreciated.
Cheers,
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HyperText Transfer Protocol Revision (http-bis) Charter
Last Modified: 2007-01-14
Chair(s):
[TBD]
Applications Area Director(s):
[TBD]
Lisa Dusseault <lisa@osafoundation.org>
Applications Area Advisor:
[TBD]
Mailing Lists:
General Discussion: ietf-http-wg@w3.org
To Subscribe: ietf-http-wg-request@w3.org
In Subject: subscribe
Archive: http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/ietf-http-wg/
Description of Working Group:
HTTP is one of the most successful and widely-used protocols on the
Internet today. However, its specification has several editorial
issues. Additionally, after years of implementation and extension,
several ambiguities have arisen, impairing interoperability and the
ability to easily implement and use HTTP to its full potential.
The working group will refine RFC2616 to:
* Incorporate errata
* Improve editorial quality
* Clarify conformance requirements and targets
* Eliminate ambiguities where they affect interoperability
* Document the extensibility model of HTTP
* Add implementation advice (e.g., deprecating problematic
optional features, if necessary)
* Update to reflect current IETF practice
* Identify mandatory-to-implement security mechanisms
In doing so, it should consider:
* Implementer experience
* Demonstrated use of HTTP
* Impact on existing implementations and deployments
The working group must not introduce a new version of HTTP. It should
not introduce new features or capabilities to HTTP, except where
doing so is necessary to improve interoperability.
The Working Group's sole specification deliverable is a document that
is suitable to supersede RFC2616.
Additionally, the working group may produce one or more test suites
for HTTP conformance, if there is sufficient interest.
Goals and Milestones:
Sep 2007 - First HTTP Revision Internet Draft
Dec 2007 - IETF 70 Meeting, TBD
Mar 2008 - IETF 71 Meeting, TBD
Apr 2008 - Request Last Call for HTTP Revision
Jul 2008 - IETF 72 Meeting, TBD
Aug 2008 - Submit HTTP Revision to IESG for consideration as a
Proposed Standard
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Mark Nottingham http://www.mnot.net/